Flask filling apparatus



June 17, 1947. M. G. CLAY FLASK FILLING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 9, 1943 June 17, 1947. G. CLAY FLASK FILLING APPARATUS Filed June 9, 1943 4 SheetsSheet 2 June 17, 1947. M. G. CLAY FLASK FILLING APPARATUS Filed June 9, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 17; 1947. M. G. CLAY 2,422,290

FLASK- FILLING APPARATUS I Filed June 9r 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ,Patented June 17, 1947 U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLASK FILLING APPARATUS Murray G. Clay, Chicago, Ill., asslgnor to The Beardsley & Piper Company, Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Illinois Application June 9, 1943, Serial No. 490,129

' 2 Claims. 1

l The present invention relates generally to apparatus for filling foundry flasks with molding sand in connection with the formation of castings. More particularly the invention relates to that type of flask filling apparatus which is kn'own in the art as a Sandslinger and as its principal or primary parts comprises: (1) an elongated wheel equipped truck which is adapted to travelalong a track on the floor of the foundry wherein the apparatus is used, and embodies means for propelling it in either direction along the track; (2) a horizontally elongated hopper which is mounted on one end of the truck, has an open bottom and is adapted to be charged with a batch of sand; (3) a horizontally extending endless conveyor which is mounted on the of the truck and discharges sand from the hopper botton; (4) a vertically extending bucket type elevator which is mounted on the central portion of the truck adjacent the discharge end of the endless-conveyor and is adapted when driven to elevate the sand that is discharged by the endless conveyor; and (5) a rotary motor driven projector which is connected to the other end of the truck by way of a horizontally swinging jib and a horizontally swinging arm in order that it is movable universally to a limited extent in a. horizontal plane, and is adapted when driven and while the conveyor and elevator are in operation to receive sand from the elevator and to form the. sand into wads and sling the latter downwards into a subjacent flask.

One object of the invention is to provide a flask filling apparatus of this type which is an improvement upon, and has certain advantages over, previously designed apparatus of like character including that which is shown in, and forms the subject matter of, United States Letters Patent No. 1,774,076, dated August 26, 1930, and is characterized by the fact that it comprises a vertically movable gate at the discharge end of the conveyor for controlling the amount of sand that is delivered by the conveyor from the hopper and in addition comprises novel and improved means for raisingor lowering the gate for sand regulating purposes.

Another object of the invention-is to provide a flask filling apparatus of the last mentioned character in which the means for raising or lowering the gate includes a reversible electric motor, and in addition a control switch for the motor which is located adjacent the projector in order that the operator may, while controlling movement of the projector in connection with a flask filling operation, either increase or decrease the "amount of sand that is delivered to the pro- 5 jector without stopping operation of the app'aratus.

In the drawings which accompany'and form a part of this specification or'disclosure and in which like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side view of a flask filling apparatus embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical transverse sec-. tion taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 and showing in detail the gate for controlling the discharge of sand from the endless conveyor beneath the open bottom of the hopper and also showing in detail the arrangement and manner of mounting of the raising and lowering means for the gate;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 and showing the arrangement of the reversible electric motor, the speed reducing unit, the slip type 25 friction clutch, the drum and the cable constituting the means for raisingor lowering the gate in order to control the amount of sand that is delivered to the casing of the rotary projector for wad forming purposes;

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 4 and illustrating in detail the drum and the slip type friction clutch for driving the drum from the speed reducing unit;

Figure 5 is a view showing the cable winding and unwinding drum of the gate raising and lowering means partly in side elevation and partly in section; and

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of the elec- 40 trical circuit for the reversible motor of the gate raising and lowering means.

The apparatus which is shown in the drawings constitutes the preferred form or embodiment of the invention. It is essentially designed for use in a, foundry or like establishment and serves as a medium for filling or ramming flasks with molding sand in connection with the forming or production of castings. The apparatus comprises the following standard or conventional parts: an elongated truck 8, a hopper 9, an endless conveyor I 0, a vertically extending bucket type elevator H, and a rotary wad forming projector I2. It also comprises a vertically movable gate l3 in associated or coacting relation with the discharge end of the endless conveyor, to-

gether with novel and improved means for raismain frame l5 and a rectangular horizontal subframe l6 beneath the main frame. It also comprises a pair of rail engaging traction wheels l1 at its rear end, a pair. of rail engaging wheels l8 -at the front end thereof, and mechanism in the form of a reversible electric motor 19, and a speed reducing unit 28 for driving the traction wheels II in either direction for truck propelling purposes. A cable 2l servesto supply electric current to the motor I9 and the other electrically operated parts of the apparatus. One end of this cable is connected to a fixed source of current and its other end is anchored to, and wound around, a rotatable reel 22 on the rear end of the truck. The reel is preferably of the type that is disclosed in, and forms the subject matter of, United States Letters Patent No. 2,355,148, granted to me on-Auust 8, 1944.

The hopper 9 is horizontally elongated as shown in Figure l'of the drawings and is adapted to reeazazm ceive a batch of molding sand. It is mounted on the rear end of the truck 8 and comprises a pair of downwardly inclined, laterally spaced sides, a

rear end wall and a front end wall. The lower margins of the sides are connected by angle bars 23 to the side beams of the main frame I5 of the truck. The bottom of the hopper is open. The lower portion of the front end wall of the hopper is cut away to form a sand discharging opening 24 (see Figure3) I The endless conveyor I 8 extends horizontally and is mounted on therear end of the truck 8 so that it underlies and constitutes a movable bottom for the hopper. It is preferably of the apron type and comprises a pair of laterally spaced endless chains 25 and a series of overlapping slats 26 on the chains. The ends of the chains that are adjacent the rear end wall of the hopper extend around a pair of idler sprocket wheels (not shown) which are mounted on a horizontally extending shaft 21. The ends of this shaft are journalled in horizontally adjustable bearings 28 in [5 of the truck 8. The other ends of the chains of the endless conveyor extend around a pair of laterally spaced sprocket wheels 29 and these are positioned slightly forwards of the front end wall of the hopper and are mounted on a horizontally extending shaft 30. The ends of the shaft are joumalled in a pair of coaxial bearings 3| on the central portions of the side beams of the truck 8. The sprocket wheels are .so arranged that the" upper reach of the conveyor directly underlies the open bottom of the hopper. A single speed electric motor 32 and a chain and sprocket connection 33 serve to drive the conveyor so that the upper reach thereof feeds towards the front end wall of the hopper. The motor 32 is mounted on a bracket 34 on the front end wall 01 the hopper and operates to drive the chain and sprocket connection 33 through the medium of a gear type speed reducing unit 35. The chain and sprocket connection comprises an endless chain 36 and a pair of sprockets 31 and 38. The sprocket 31 is mounted on the driven shaft of the speed reducing unit 35. The other sprocket, that is sprocket 38, is mounted on oneend of the shaft 36. The

chain 36 extends around and serves drivably to' connect the two sprockets 31' and 38, as shown in Figure 2. When the conveyor is in operation the rear ends of the side beams of the main frame ing the projector in response to control moveing 24 of a depending pivot shaft (not shown).

4 as the result of supply of current to the electric motor 32 it feeds sand in stream form from the bottom of the hopper 9 forwards through the discharge opening 24 onto a motor driven syratory riddle 39. The latter is mounted on the central portion of the truck 8 between the main frame l5 and the sub-frame I6 and serves when in operation to discharge the sand after r'iddling into a boot 48.

The gate l3 extends across the discharge openat the bottom of the front end wall of the hopper 9 and serves, as hereinafter described, to control the amount of sand that is fed by the endless conveyor I 6 from the bottom of the hopper onto the gyratory riddle.

The elevator I I is mounted on the truck 8 directly in front of the hopper 9, as shown in Figure 1. It consists of an endless series of buckets 4| and is arranged so that the lower or receivin end thereof is disposed in the boot 46. A single speed electric motor 42 and a speed reducing unit. 43 serve to drive the elevator ll so that the buckets elevate the sand from the boot and discharge it downwards and forwards through an inclined chute 44 over the front end of the truck. The chute is supported by the supporting structure for the endless bucket type elevator II and receives the sand from the buckets as the latter travel around the upper end of the conveyor.

The projector i2 is supported from'the front end of the truck 8 by way of a housing type bracket'45, a; jib 46 and an arm 41. The bracket I 45 overlies the front end of the main frame l5 of the truck and is provided with 9. depending pivot shaft (not shown) which is journaled in a bearing 48. The jib 46 extends horizontally and has one end thereof connected to the bracket 45. The pivot shaft which depends from the bracket and is journalled in the bearing 48 permits thejib 46 to swing in a horizontal plane substantially throughout an arc of 360. The arm 41 extends horizontally and has one end thereof plvotally connected to the distal end of the jib 46 byIway t is tubular and is capable of swinging in a horizontal plane substantially throughout an arc of 360. The projector 12 is mounted on the distal end of the arm 41.

If desired, the flask filling apparatus may be provided with mechanism for automatically movmerits of a pivoted lever 58. Such mechanism is disclosed in, and forms the subject matter of, United States Letters Patent No. 2,339,001 granted January 11, 1944. Sand is delivered into the interior of the casing 49 of the projector l2 from the chute 44 by way of an endless conveyor 60, over the Jib 46 and an endless conveyor 6| over the arm 41. The conveyor 68 is preferably of the belt and pulley variety and extends longitudinally or. lengthwise of' the jib 46. It is driven by an electric motor 62 ontheupper end of the housing type bracket 45 and is provided with a hopper 63 over its receiving end. This hopper underlies and is adapted to receive sand from the chute 44 on the upper end of the upstanding or vertically extending bucket type elevator l I. The endless conveyor 6| is also preferably of the belt and pulley type and extends lengthwise of the arm 41. 'It is driven by an electric motor 64. and

is provided at its receiving end with a hopper 65. The latter underlies the discharge end of the endless conveyor, and is adapted to receive sand in stream'form therefrom. The discharge end of the conveyor 8| is located adjacent the sand inlet 82 in the inner end wall of the casing 49 of the projector I2. When the electric motors 82, 42, 62, 84 and 55 are in operation drive of the endless conveyor Ill, the'bucket type elevator-H, the endless conveyor 68, the endless conveyor 8! and the projector l2 takes place. As

' hereinbefore described the conveyor l serves .to

feed sand from the bottom of the hopper 9 through the discharge opening 24 onto the gymtory riddle 88. From the riddle the sand is discharged into the boot 48 at the lower end of the elevator II. From the boot the sand is elevated by the buckets of the elevator and is then discharged into the hopper 62 via the chute 44. The

. endless conveyor .60 serves to feed the sand in stream form from the hopper 83 into the hopper 65. From the last mentioned hopper the sand is fed in stream form and at a relatively high velocity into the inlet opening 52 by way of the motor driven endless conveyor 8|. The sand entering the casing of the projector via the opening 52 is formed into wads by the blade on the rotor as hereinbeforedescribed and is fiung or projected downwards in rapid success-ion through the tubular discharge member 5|. The sand is delivered into all portions of the subJ'acent flask by shifting the projector either manually over the flask or by way of the automatic lever controlled mechanism heretofore described.

The gate l3 controls the amount of sand that is fed from the bottom of the hopper 9 by the endless conveyor l8 and, hence, controls the size of the wads that are formed and projected by the projector l2. It extends across the discharge opening 24 at the lower margin of the front end wall of the hopper and is preferably in the form of a channel bar. As shown in Figure 3, the channel bar constituting the gate is arranged so that the side flanges thereof extend towards the front of the truck. A pair of laterally spaced links 66 serve to support the gate l3 so that it is movable vertically either upwards or downwards in order to change or vary the effective area of the discharge opening 24. The links '66 are located adjacent and outwards of the sides of the hopper 9 and have the rear ends thereof pivotally connected to the hopper sides so that they, together with the gate, may be swung upwards or downwards relatively to the discharge opening 24. The pivotal connections for the rear ends of the links 66 consist of a pair of axially aligned pivot pins 87 and these are fixedly secured to a pair of brackets 68 on the sides of the hopper and extend through horizontal holes 69 in the rear ends of the links 66. The brackets 68 are preferably welded to the hopper sides. The front or distal ends of the links are fixedly secured to the ends of the gate l3. The gate I3 is located a small distance in front of the discharge opening 24, as shown in Figure 4, in order that it is free to swing upwards and downwards. The spaces between the ends of the gate and the ends of the discharge opening are closed by way of a pair of vertically extending deflector plates 18. These plates are welded to the lower corners of the front end wall of the hopper and have curved or arcuate front margins. When the gate is swung 0r shifted downwards it decreases the effective area of the discharge opening 24 and thus cuts down the feed of sand from the hopper bottom by the endless conveyor Ill.

The means for raising and lowering the gate I3 for sand controlling purposes is controlled from a point adjacent the projector l2 and conis of the reversible '3-phase type and is supported on a housing structure 16 over the gate l3. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the housing structure 18 is secured to, and projects forwards from, the upper portio of the front end wall of the hopper 9. 'The motor II is arranged so that the annature shaft thereof extends lengthwise of the truck 8. The speed reducing unit I2 is located directly behind the motor 3| and is suitably supported or suspended from the housing structure 16. It comprises a housing 11, a'worm 18 and a worm wheel 19. The worm I8 is mounted in the housing 11 on a shaft 80 and is arranged in coaxial relation with the armature shaft of the motor II. The shaft 80 is suitably journalled in the housing 11 and is connected for drive by the rear end' of said armature shaft. The worm wheel 19 meshes with, and is driven by, the worm .18 and is mounted in the lower portion of the housing TI on a transverse extending shaft ill. The latter extends through, and is mounted in hearings on, the side Walls of the housing 11.

1 The slip type friction clutch 13 serves to drive the drum 14 from the electric motor II and comprises a hub 82 and a pair of friction rings 83 and 84. The hub is fixedly secured to one end of the shaft 8| by way of key type locking devices 85 and is surrounded by a cylindrical bushing 86. The drum 14 is ring-shaped and extends around, and is mounted loosely on, the bushing 86. The hub 82 is provided at the inner end thereof with an integral radially extending annular flange 81. This flan'ge is in opposed relation with one end face of the drum 14 and carries the friction ring 83-. The latter is interposed between the flange 81 and the adjacent end face of the drum and is secured to the flange by way of rivets 88. The other friction ring, that is, the ring 84, bears against the other end face of the drum and is connected to the marginal portion-.of a circular plate 89 by way of an annular series of rivets 98. The plate is spaced outwards from the outer end of the hub 82 of the clutch l3 and is drivably connected-to the hub by way of a plurality of bolts 8|. As shown in Figure 5 the shanks of the bolts 9| extend through holes 92 in the central portion of the plate 89 and have the ends thereof that are opposite the heads disposed in threaded sockets 93 in the hub 82. Compression springs 94 surround the outer ends of the shanks of the bolts Brand serve to urge the plate 89 inwards and thus cause the drum 14 to be gripped by the friction rings 83 and 84. The inner ends of the springs 94 abut against the hole defining portions of the plate 89 and the outer ends of the springs abut against washers 95 adjacent the heads of the bolts. The springs urge the friction rings into frictional engagement with the end faces of the drum l4 and thus cause the rings to drive the drum when the electric motor H is operated. Because the rings are in frictional engagement with the end faces of the drum the clutch will slip in the event that the drum is stopped or locked against rotation as hereinafter described while the motor H is in operation. The compression of the springs 94 and, therefore, the resulting gripping action of the friction rings on the end faces of the drum, may be varied by adjusting the bolts 9|. When the bolts are turned so as to move in the direction of the clutch the compression springs 94 are placed under increased compression. Loosening of the bolts serves to 96 in its periphery. The cable 15 serves operatively to connect the drum 14 to the gate I9. One end of the cable is connected to the upper flange of the gate by an eye bolt 91. The other end of the cable extends around the grooved peripheral portion of the drum "and is anchored to a transversely extending pin 98. The latter is welded or otherwise fixedly-secured to the adjacent peripheral portion of the drum and is so arranged and of such length that the inner end thereof projects beyond the inner end face of the drum. When the electric motor 1I isdriven so as to rotate the drum 14 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figures3 and 5 the cable 15 is caused to wind around the drum and effects raising of the gate I3. When the electric motor 1| is reversely driven the drum is rotated in a clockwise.

direction as viewed in Figures 4 and 6 with the result that the cable unwinds' from the drum and eifects lowering of the gate. By rotating the drum in one direction or the other the gate may be raised or loweredto the desired extent. In order to limit raising and lowering of the gate an arcuate stop lug 99 is provided. This stop lug is concentrically positioned relatively to the periphery of the drum and is mounted on a plate I00. The plate is suitably secured to the side wall of the housing 11 that is opposite the hub 82 of the slip type friction clutch 13. The stop lug 99 is so arranged that the ends thereof are in the path of the irmer end of the pin 98. One end of the lug forms an abutment IN and this is so positioned that the inner end of the pin 98 strikes thereagainst when the drum is rotated in a clockwise direction sufliciently to lower the gate I3 to its desired lowermost extent. When the inner end Of the pin 98 is in contacting rela tion with the abutment IN the drum is locked against further clockwise rotation and further drive of the electric motor for gate lowering purposes results in slippage of the clutch 13 relatively to the drum. The other end of the stop lug 99 forms an abutment I02 and thisv is arranged or positioned so that-the inner end of the pin 98 strikes thereagainst when the drum is rotated in a counterclockwisedirectionsuiliciently to raise the gate I3 to its desired-uppermost ex-- tent. When the inner end of the pin 98 is in contacting relation with the abutment I02 the drum 14 is locked against further counterclockwise rotation and the electric motor 1| if further driven results in slippage of the clutch 13 relatively to the drum. The stop lug 99 and the pin 98 constitute simple means for limiting raising and lowering of the gate. By including the slip type friction clutch 13 between the drum 14 and the driven shaft 8| of the speed reducing unit 12 the electric motor H is precluded from burning out in the event that it is driven after the pin 98 strikes either the abutment IM or the abutment I02.

The 3-phase reversible electric motor 1I is controlled and supplied with current byway of a circuit which is shown diagrammatically in Figure 6. This circuit comprises a 3-phase current supply I03 and a normally open reversing switch I04. The 3-phase current supplyis electrically connected to the cable 2| and consists of three lines I05, I06 and I01. The line I leads to the stator of the electric motor II. The reversing switch I04 is mounted on the upper-portion of the casing 49 of the rotary projector I2 so that it is within reach of the operator of the apparatus.

It is disposed in a housing I08 (see Figure 1) and comprises a pair of fixed terminals I09 and 0,

a pair of movable contacts I I I and I I2 and three fixed terminals H3, H4 and H0. 'The line I00 leads to the terminal I09 and the line I 01 leads 1 to the terminal H0. The movable contact I is at all times electrically connected to the terminal I09 and is shiftable in one direction into contact with the terminal I I3 and in the opposite direction into contact with the terminal .5.

with the. two terminals H3 and H5. The movable contact H2 is at all times electrically. connected to the terminal I I0 and is shiftable in one direction into contact with the terminal H4 and in the opposite direction into contact. with the terminal II3. Normally the contact II2 assumes an open or neutral position wherein it is out of contact with the two terminals I I4 and H5... The two movable contacts I and II 2 are cross connected for conjoint shift by way of a member H0 and this member has applied to it a shift or control lever 1. When the control lever is shifted shifted so that the contact -I I2 engages or contacts the terminal H4 and the contact III engages or nected to the stator of the electric motor 1! by way of a conductor H9 and the terminal H4 is electrically connected to said stator by way of a conductor I20. The terminal H5 is connected to the conductor I 20 by a conductor I2I. When the lever I I1 is shifted so as to bring the movable contacts III and H2 into contact with the terminals I I3 and H4, respectively, the line I05 is electrically connected to the conductor H9 and the line I01 is electrically connected to the conductor I20 with the result that the electric motor is driven in one direction. When the lever H1 'is reversely shifted so as to bring the movable con-.

tacts I II and I I2 into contact with the terminals I I5 and I I 3, respectively, the line I05 is electrically connected to the conductor H9 and the line I01 is electrically connected to the conductor I20 with the result that the electric motor is driven in the opposite or reverse direction. Normally the reversing switch is in its open position and the motor 1| is at rest. By shifting the lever I I1 in one direction or the opposite direction the electric motor may be driven so as to effect raising or lowering of the gate I3. By shifting the lever I I1 the operator may raise or lower the gate to any desired, adjusted position within the range of movement ofthe gate. If the operator of the apparatus desires to feed additional sand tothe projector in order to increase the size of the wads the motor H is operated so as to raise the gate I I3 to the desired extent. Should the operator desire to decrease the amount of sand that is delivered to the projector in order to decrease the size of the wads the motor H is operated so as 7 to lower the gate l3 to the desired extent. By having the reversing switch I04 mounted adjacent the projector the operator may arrange for a greater or lesser feed of sand to the projector for wad forming purposes without stopping the apparatus as a whole and while a subjacent flask Said movable contact III is normally. disposed in an open position wherein it is out of contact.

in one direction the two movable contacts are is being rammed. The reversing switch Ill constitutes or exemplifies means for controlling the gate raising and lowering means from a point adjacent the projector. The lines I and I0! leading to the reversing switch I and the conductors H8 and I20 leading from the switch .to the electric motor H are mounted in a flexible cable (not shown) which extends along the endless conveyors 60 and 6|. f

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with an apparatus comprising a supporting structure, a hopper on the structure adapted to receive a batch of granular material and provided adjacent the bottom thereof with a laterally extending discharge opening, and power driven means for feeding the material from the hopper through the discharge opening,

of a vertically movable gate adjacent the discharge opening for controlling the eflfective area thereof, means for raising and lowering the gate embodying a rotatable drum above the gate and provided on the periphery thereof with a laterally extending pin, a flexible element having one end thereof anchored to the gate and its other end extending around the drum and anchored to the pin, a reversible prime mover adjacent the drum. and a driving connection between the prime mover and the drum, including a slip type friction clutch, and stop means positioned adiacent 1i) the drum and arranged so that it coacts with the pin to limit rotation of the drum in either direction.

2. The combination with a flask filling 'appa-.

ratus comprising a supporting structure, a' hopper on the structure adapted to receive a batch of molding sand and having an open bottom and a laterally extending discharge opening adjacent the bottom, and a power driven endless conveyor supported on the structure beneath the open bottom of the hopper and arranged so that during drive thereof it feeds sand from the hopper through said discharge opening, of a vertically movable gate adjacent the dischargeopening for controlling the effective area thereof, means for raising and lowering the gate comprising a rotatable drum positioned above the gate and provided with a laterally extending pin adjacent the periphery thereof, a reversible electric motor adjacent the drum, and a driving connection between the motor and the drum, including a slip type friction clutch, and a stop member mounted fixedly-adjacent the drum and arranged so that it coacts with the pin to limit rotation of the drum in either direction.

MURRAY G. CLAY.

REFERENCES crrnn UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Beardsley et al Aug. 28, 1930 Mace Sept. 14, 1943 Number 

